One more win to go: Westport plays for NE title and trip to LLWS

By BOB BIRGEHour Correspondent

Published
7:02 pm EDT, Friday, August 9, 2013

Hour photo/Chris Palermo

Westport's Chad Knight leaps into his fellow teammates after scoring a run during the Little League Baseball New England Regional Tournament against South Berlington, Vt., on Friday, Aug. 2, at the Giamatti Little League Center in Bristol. Knight is slated to start Saturday night's New England Regional championship game against Lincoln, R.I.

Westport's Chad Knight leaps into his fellow teammates after scoring a run during the Little League Baseball New England Regional Tournament against South Berlington, Vt., on Friday, Aug. 2, at the Giamatti Little League Center in Bristol. Knight is slated to start Saturday night's New England Regional championship game against Lincoln, R.I.

BRISTOL -- During their remarkable summer run, the Westport 12-year-old All-Stars have remained even keeled -- not too high and not too low (of course, there really hasn't been any lows since the team is 17-0).

Manager Tim Rogers doesn't expect anything to change on Saturday when his charges play the biggest game of their young lives against Lincoln, R.I., in the New England Regional championship game.

The 7 p.m. contest will be televised by ESPN and a trip to the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa,. awaits for the winner.

"I don't think they'll be nervous," Rogers said after Thursday's 3-0 semifinal win over Saco, Maine. "I think they'll be loose. They've been loose all year long. They don't let it get to them. I actually wish they'd be a little more intense if I could have a request."

Westport will be looking to become the fourth Connecticut team in the last six years -- and third in the last four -- to play in the LLWS. Shelton National made it 2008 and Fairfield American qualified in 2010 and 2012.

Saturday's winning team will board a bus, chartered by Little League, on Sunday night for the five-hour trip to Williamsport. The New England champion opens play against the Southeast winner -- either Tennessee or Virginia -- on Thursday at Lamade Stadium (7 p.m.).

Westport's advantage throughout the postseason has been its dual aces Harry Azadian and Chad Knight, who essentially are 1 and 1A. Knight will start against Lincoln.

Westport has allowed only eight runs in five games in the New England Regionals. Still, Saco manager Todd Duchaine, whose team faced both of the finalists in the tournament, thinks the Rhode Island champions have more than a fighting chance Saturday.

"They're a big hitting team," said Duchaine, whose team was held scoreless in two games against Westport. "They are going to score runs, so I would not be surprised to see the Rhode Island team be able to hit these (Westport) kids. I think they're a little bit more used to that level of pitching than maybe some of our guys from Maine."

Of course, Westport also can swing the bats. While most of the attention has been focused on the pitching, Westport has scored 42 runs in Bristol.

Westport and Lincoln were seen as the two favorites heading into the tournament, though they did not meet in pool play.

Still, Lincoln's pitching looked vulnerable at times, twice allowing eight runs in pool play -- a 14-8 win over Newton, Mass., and an 8-1 loss to South Burlington, Vt.

Lincoln avenged the loss to Burlington with a 5-2 semifinal victory, rallying from an early 2-0 deficit.

Manager Matt Netto expended ace Kyle Marrapese in the win over South Burlington, but still thinks he has enough pitching to match up with Knight.

"Everyone is eligible except for Kyle," said Netto, who would not name his starter after the win over South Burlington. "Most people would say your ace is gone. We got two and three, we have a couple aces."

While this is all new for the Westport Little League, Lincoln is used to success, previously representing Rhode Island in the LLWS in 2001 and 2004. A team from Lincoln is appearing in the New England Regionals for the eighth time since 1999.

Rogers does have a connection to Fairfield American and followed its run to Williamsport last year. His son Drew and a few other members of the Westport team faced last year's Fairfield American squad as 10-year-olds in 2011, when Fairfield American lost in the regional finals.

"I've kept in touch with their coach (Bill Meury) and have a great relationship with their boys," Rogers said. "We've watched them, we've seen them, we got a little taste through them. (Meury's) given me some good advice along the way."

The players from Fairfield American's 2010 and 2012 teams will understand what the Westport players will be feeling Saturday night.

"Now we're like pretty much representing all of Westport and all of Connecticut going into the New England Regional finals," Max Popken said. "If we win this, it's going to be awesome."

NOTES: Given its size, Connecticut has been remarkably well-represented in Williamsport with 18 teams from the Nutmeg state playing in the LLWS. Connecticut has made six appearances in the finals, winning four titles, which is tied for second with Pennsylvania and New Jersey and behind only California (7). LLWS champions from Connecticut include: Stamford, 1951; Norwalk, 1952; Windsor Locks, 1965; and Trumbull National, 1989.